Easter at the Parker Palm Springs

Happy April! How was everyone's weekend? We skipped town on Thursday for a long weekend with friends in Palms Springs, aka My Happy Place. Things have been so crazy lately that a little decompression in the desert was just what the doctor ordered for our little family.  

Our adorable villa:

Complete with rattan swing...

That P could not remove herself from, of course.

I appreciated this little toiletry tray of goodies which, naturally, I've absconded with (the goodies, not the tray!)...

We stuffed ourselves at Norma's and the Lemonade Stand on the regular.

And our (messy) bunny found us on Sunday morning!

Ta da!

A little egg hunt to go with our eggs benedict...

And one obligatory orange door shot before we headed back to rainy, cold LA (boo).

One week to go until our cruise! So much to do between now and then. How was your Easter?

xoxo

Weekend Getaway: Lake Arrowhead

We escaped to the mountains this weekend for a much-needed break from the grind. Some friends have an amazing place on the peninsula in Lake Arrowhead, and it was just what the doctor ordered. Aside from the completely terrifying drive up the mountain (the road in is called Rim of the World Highway, okay? And I have problems on Mulholland, people...), it was perfection: 65 degrees and crisp, sunny skies, walks in the woods, boat rides into town and a toasty fire at night. 

The view from our bedroom at sunrise.

Boat ride into the village.

My only regret was not picking up this blanket from the Pendleton shop in town:

P slept like a log from all that fresh mountain air, and actually cried when it came time to leave. C and I grabbed a real estate catalog in town; we often think about a second home someplace outside the city. Lake Arrowhead is so close, it's definitely a great option. But that winding road--I still have little half-moon marks in my thighs from my own fingernails! 

xoxo

Blanket image from here.

Busy Weekend, Busier Week!

I feel terrible that I haven't had a chance to post yet this week but it's been a busy one, to say the least. We had a little party for P on Sunday, so of course our entire Saturday was spent in a last minute effort to clean and "organize" our place, which is ridiculous and only upped the grumpy quotient. But the party was worth it; P had a great time and has been asking how many days until her next birthday party, so I guess that's a good sign.

I thought I'd include some pictures of the day for those who asked. We kept it pretty simple, with a few decorations here and there, a bounce castle, glitter tattoo artist (who was amazing and so fun, if anyone wants a recommendation), taco stand (also amazing) and ice cream cake. Oh yes, and a candy bar. I'm pretty sure every parent was furious with me. I tried to include some healthy options (popcorn, granola bars, trail mix). No takers there, unsurprisingly...

Opening presents day of.

Pink bike helmet--check!

A little candy bar action.

Underneath the umbrellas.

Bouncin.

xoxo

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Celebrating P's 4th birthday today! I know it's cliche to say so, but I cannot believe four years has gone by so quickly. I remember every moment of the day P was born, even the moments I would like to forget. Of course I would do it all again 20 times over because she is the brightest light in our blessed life. Cheers to Penelope!

xoxo

A Mini-Break in the Country

Hi friends! We are back from what feels like a month-long vacation. It's amazing what a few days off can do for your stress levels. I'm definitely feeling more relaxed and ready for an action-packed week!

But first, a little recap from our mini-break at the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa, a super family-friendly, ultra romantic Spanish style resort set in the most idyllic California setting: rolling hills, lush gardens and the smell of rosemary and lavendar on every breeze. I'm being serious right now. And the spa--don't get me started on that place...heaven!

Anyway, we've always wanted to go for the 4th because they have a cute little parade down the main street, and as we were making our way up to Ojai Avenue, a nice local invited to be on their float! It was really just a flat bed attached to a pickup, but whatever--when in Rome, right?

Photo bombed by a fellow floater

Along the parade route

Patriotic!

That night we spread blankets out on the golf course and watched fireworks while bats (!!!) flew overhead. It was pretty special to say the least.  And we certainly couldn't leave town without a pony ride for P:

Determined...

Oh, happy trails to you!

Friends fo' life!

Okay, check back tomorrow for a ridiculously easy upholstery project I did in about 15 minutes yesterday.

xoxo

Summer, We Hardly Knew Ye

Well, that was quick! I'm having a lot of trouble with the idea that the summer of 2011 has come and gone. I never even got to wear the white linen wide legs I bought back in May. What a pity.

Obviously, it's been a looong while since I've checked into the Lemon Mac, so settle in for what's sure to be the longest. post. ever. So many major things happened this summer that I guess the best thing to do is start at the beginning!

When last I left you, we were busy prepping for Anne and Ryan's big day down in Miami in May. The wedding was beautiful (I'm sure everyone has seen the pictures, so you know what I'm talking about) and so much fun. We spent quality time with some of our favorite people in a breathtaking Latin-y setting, danced up a sweaty storm (it was not a good look), exercised poor-ish judgement (you know who you are), then all met up for a slightly awkward breakfast the next day. In short, it was a party to end all parties. We were thrilled to be there.

Back in LA, we had to snap out of Miami mode and focus on selling our house and finding a new one. I'll skip the boring, painful bits and just say we are SO happy with the new place and feel very fortunate we were able to sell the old one so quickly. It was a big adjustment for P. She struggled with the concept and continued to ask us for weeks when we were going back to the old house. "But we left it all alone, Mommy. I don't want it to be all alone," she would say. It was hard not to well up a bit when she said things like that.



Last morning on our old deck

Now she is settled in, has transitioned from her crib to a "big girl" twin sized bed, and has even given up her paci. We were embarrassingly overdue on that one; a visit to the dentist was our motivation. We took a page out of Super Nanny Jo Frost's book and "mailed" them to babies who needed them. In return, the "babies" sent P an obnoxious pink play castle for the backyard as a thank you. I'm pretty sure she would have been just as happy with a cupcake (or maybe that's me I'm talking about...). That was about five weeks ago and she still has some trouble getting to sleep at night, but nothing like those first few days.

And in other big girl news, our P turned three! We had a little shindig at her preschool and it was perfect. A petting zoo, a bouncy castle, grown up drinks for those of age--what more can you ask for, really?




Excited for the party




Bouncin!



Candles, with a few assists




End of the day



Now she's starting back up at school this week with a new big girl bob (totally inspiring me to chop my own), going five days a week instead of her previous two. People keep asking me if I'm excited to have all those afternoons to myself and I'm not sure what the answer is. Some days it's "absolutely", but most days it's "no, we need to slow down, thankyouverymuch!" I will miss Wednesdays at the indoor playground, lunch dates at Starbucks, and Friday afternoon bake-offs. I know we'll always have weekends, but they just don't have that "What will we do with our day today?" feel to them. I suppose that's what "playing hooky with mom" days are meant for.

xoxo

Return of the Mac

Okay, so that was an inordinately long break from posting. We have had probably our busiest summer yet, jam packed with multiple trips to the east coast, a week in the desert and family visitors of our own here in beautiful downtown Silverlake. Not a good enough excuse, I know, but in my defense, I was visiting pretty much all of the readers of this blog. So really, you were getting the Lemon Mac in person, right?

Anyway, in case I am NOT related to you and we have NOT spoken in a long while, I will give you the low down from Chez Muirhead. As I mentioned, lots of trips, the first of which was to surprise my sister Casey for her baby shower back in June, although I think she knew we were going to be there (Did you know??). It was so nice to be back in the Garden State, even if it was too brief a visit. I’m trying to get my act together enough to come back in the fall for a week or so. There are so many others I would love to spend time with. Also, I’m having trouble translating what Teresa Guidice is saying on the Real Housewives of New Jersey and fear I am losing the language. (Immersion truly is the best teacher.)

After that we had a fantastic week in Palm Springs with my parents, who I think would officially have their names changed to “Nana” and “Papa” if they could. For me, it’s always bittersweet having family come to town because no matter how long their stay is, I’m dreading having to say goodbye from the minute they arrive.



Nana and P kickin it in Palm Springs

Then on P’s second birthday, we flew back across the country for a week in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, which was everything I hoped it would be. In an unexpected turn of events, Penelope developed a fear of the ocean (I think it was the loud crash of the surf that did it) and had seemingly resigned herself to sitting in a beach chair and watching everyone else swim for the whole of the week. Between the sunhat and the wistful smile, she looked like a 70-year old trapped in a two-year old’s body. It was sad. Finally on our last day, she let her daddy carry her into the water and by day’s end, she had to be dragged out.



P stress eating while watching the ocean

While we were there we celebrated both Penelope’s birthday (chocolate cupcakes!) and Christian’s (chocolate cake!), which, combined with presents from faraway relatives that trickle in almost daily, has led her to sing Happy Birthday to herself every day since. I’m guessing this will be a problem in a year or two, but for now I see no harm.



Animal birthday cupcakes-yummy!



Discovering the Lily Pulitzer pony in Duck, NC


Okay, this post is getting obnoxiously long, and even though I have tons more news to share with you, I will wrap this up with a double-pinky promise to update you again by week’s end. Sound good? Good.

xoxo

The Haps

Hello! Have a few minutes to spare before P wakes up from her nap and thought I’d post a quick update on the spring happenings since last we met. Some highlights:

-Construction has started on our backyard revamp! So far only a few hiccups to speak of but I’m crossing my fingers that we’ll be toasting its completion with celebratory margaritas (rocks, salt) in two weeks time. Here are some "BEFORE" pictures of the space.









-We have been renting a condo with some friends in Palm Springs since the beginning of May. We usually drive out late Friday or early Saturday and spend the weekend cooking, reading, swimming, wearing enormous hats and generally being pretty lazy. It’s fabulous and I love it. But more importantly, P really enjoys her time there, as well.



Penelope in her "babysuit"

-I joined Twitter. I would have more to say about this except that each time I try to log in, I am met by a scary cartoon of a whale being hoisted out of the ocean by a flock of cute birds and the message “Twitter overloaded. Too many tweets!,” or some such nonsense. So far not impressed with Twitter.

-My second Mother’s Day came and went, faster than I can believe it. My little family took me out for brunch at my favorite spot in Palm Springs, where I had order envy of everyone around me (I am the WORST at ordering). Later we hit up the drive thru Starbucks—why don’t we have these, LA??—and relaxed by the poolside, soaking up as much sun as SPF 70 allows. I hope all the mommies I know enjoyed their day as much as I did.



On our way to brunch

-I am up to my ears in peonies, my favorite flower. It's the season for them and they're $5.99 for 5 stems at Trader Joe's! They are stunning when they're completely opened. I carried white ones on my wedding day and having them around the house always takes me back to that amazing day. Plus I think P is really tickled to see these enormous hot pink flowers everywhere.

-We have booked a trip to North Carolina in mid July with my in-laws, which we are really looking forward to. We haven’t been to the Outer Banks since before we were married (7 years ago, I think), so I’m anxious to see how P takes to the huge beaches and warm water. The girl never met a wide, open space she didn’t want to run figure-eight laps around, so I am pretty confident she will love it.

I think that’s all I’ve got for now. Will try to keep you abreast of the construction and anything that seems interesting.

xoxo

Your Regularly Scheduled Programming

What a month it’s been! (Okay, definitely been reading too much Dr. Seuss: "What a hat! I like that party hat!") The Macaron has been on hiatus due to the nonstop stream of visitors in town since the beginning of March, the last of which was my sister, Anne, who left on Sunday. She was out here for work and to celebrate her very recent engagement to Ryan—congrats, you crazy kids!

Penelope LOVED having all these members of her family around her, and it’s so bittersweet listening to her talk about all of these “fwends” that had come to stay: She learned how to say Grandad (“Gan-dad”); got to log some serious shopping time with her Grandma (still working on saying that one) and is still peeking around doorframes in our house searching for her Aunt Annie (“Annieeee, Whey ah yoooooouuuuu?”).

As you can probably gather, her vocabulary has increased tenfold, and it’s so nice to really communicate with her now. I am stunned every time she speaks a little sentence (“Mommy, I want cheese.”) no matter how mundane it is. I so often forget that she is a little human who will continue to grow, absorbing and retaining information—even the bad stuff. Like my road rage rants that I must now learn to suppress, lest I want Penelope repeating things like “Alright, you dummy!” Which she did an hour after I screamed and shook my fists at some jerk in a Rav4 last week, who totally deserved it, by the way. This parroting, although adorable, prompted a two-fold insecurity in me that, a) my vehicular trash talking game is alarmingly PG-rated (I’m a real menace on the roads—watch out, you dummies!) and b) what other little gems have fallen on her tiny ears that may someday resurface at inopportune moments? I guess only time will tell on me.

I’m taking solace in the fact that Penelope, unlike her potty-mouthed mother, is polite and says please, thank you and you’re welcome (“Yah Welcome!”) in both English and Spanish. (Also, danke, randomly.) What more could a proud mommy ask for?


xoxo


PS--Many congratulations to the Bean who is having a baby boy Bean in August!! Your Aunt Jennifer sees herself buying lots of tiny seersucker blazers for you, Baby Bean!

Past Due

If blog posts were Amex bills, I’d be delinquent. I mean I'm not going to jail or anything at this point, but I’ve been getting harassed every day for not posting—phone calls, emails, notes tied to rocks thrown through my windows…It’s been a busy week for us here at Casa Penelope and time for writing seems to be nonexistent. But here I am, at 5:45am on a Friday. Do forgive, pretty please…

As I said, we are busy bees this week so I will give you the quick rundown of happenings from the past seven days or so:

1. I went to Boston for the weekend by myself for my BU roommate’s wedding. It was the longest (and farthest) that I’ve been away from Penelope. Got to visit some old haunts like Border Café in Harvard Square and spend time with some fab ladies who I haven’t seen in years. The weather was incredible—I didn’t even need the jacket I packed!—and I got my Dunks on in a major way, of course. Being away from Penelope is not easy. I find that I almost have to forget about her when I’m not with her, which is tough to do when everyone is asking you to show them photos. I will say this about traveling without her: flying with only my handbag and no other carry-ons on the plane is AWESOME (Mommies, you know what I’m talking about...).

2. Christian’s parents are visiting this week and so far we’ve done tons of fun activities with P, the highlight of which has been egg coloring with one of those cool Pas sets from the grocery store. “Eggy?” she says when she wants one and then takes five minutes to choose which color she’d like. Photos are below. Adorable!


3. I went to an open house at the preschool I’d really like to get P into. The facility is gorgeous and the teachers are so great, but my heart sank when I saw at least one hundred other parents were there, too. I’m definitely feeling a bit stressed that I didn’t put her on the wait list early enough. For this particular school, she would have to start this Fall at 2 years and 2 months and she has to be potty trained by day one—no Pull Ups allowed! So I guess we have a new project on our hands…

4. I saved the best for last--she said her name!! Or at least the second half of it. Hurray for “Elopeeee!” She is so excited and proud of herself. I’ve heard her practicing it in her crib when she first wakes up in the morning and in the bathtub when she’s playing with all her water toys. “Elopeee, Elopeee, Elopeee!” patting her little chest for emphasis.



Okay, I’ll cut it off right here. I could go on and on but I’ll save the rest for future posts. Mazel to Rachael and Josh who are on their amazing honeymoon in Belize and thank you to Kelly and Olivia who made my Sunday morning.

xoxo